З життя
When My Daughter Gave Birth to Her Seventh Child, I Realized My Patience Had Finally Run Out!
For the past twenty years, Ive been living with my daughter and her husband, but I simply cant manage it any longer.
Im 65 now and grandfather to seven grandchildren. Of course, there are those who might envy me for that, and perhaps I would consider myself lucky too if I wasnt the one constantly looking after the little ones and listening to their endless noise each day. My daughter, it seems, barely notices just how many children she has
When my sixth granddaughter was born, I sat down with Emily for a heartfelt conversation. I never imagined Id need to explain contraception to my 35-year-old daughter. Then, when they decided to have their seventh child, I honestly felt dizzy. This house only has five rooms, yet there are now nine of us living under the same roof.
My daughters fortunate that my late wife and I worked our whole lives to build a larger home and buy some land. Now my son-in-law works that land and fancies himself a proper farmer. Emily is there, helping him with everything, while Im left spending most of my day in the kitchen, cooking for what feels like an entire classroom. The children keep growing, eating more than ever, and nobody wants yesterdays leftovers everything must be fresh.
When the sixth granddaughter arrived, I really hoped Emily would see my point, and that perhaps I could finally have some peace from crying babies and the endless rounds of nappy changes. But, as it turned out, my hopes were dashed once again.
All this time, Ive kept in touch with my brother, who lives alone now that his daughter emigrated. One evening, he rang to ask if I could come and stay for a while as he wasnt well. Naturally, I worried about him, but truth be told, I was relieved for a chance to escape my daily grind.
Now, my brothers feeling much better, and Im not sure I could ever go back home after this much-needed break. I dread the idea of returning to the chaos and constant shouts of children. Here with my brother, I rediscovered my old loves: reading, enjoying music, and watching a good film. At long last, Im able to enjoy my retirement instead of waiting for the grandchildren to finally grow up but Ive no idea how to explain this to my family.
Now Emily keeps phoning me, insisting I must return home because shes struggling on her own. Im at a loss what should I do?
